Montgomery County in Pictures

Local News

Counterprotesters stage their own march against the Unite the Right 2 march and rally held by white nationalists at Lafayette Square in Washington D.C. PHOTO BY MIKE CLARK WASHINGTON, D.C. — Less than 25 white nationalists who arrived Sunday afternoon to march, speak and stage their “Unite The Right 2” rally at Lafayette Square found themselves overwhelmed by thousands of counterprotesters from groups like Antifa and the Black Lives Matter movement, and finally left before the rally was scheduled to begin.
“I hope this shows the white nationalists that we are willing to fight back,” said Prince George’s County resident Larry Hutchison, 31, who was one of a number of participants with handmade signs. “We are not just going to remain silent.”

Employees of the Old Takoma Ace Hardware Store are at odds with the store owner over the formation of a union. PHOTO BY NICKOLAI SUKHAREVTAKOMA PARK — Attempting to form a union, the employees of a locally-owned Takoma Park hardware store find themselves at odds with their employer.
“They have declared war on us,” said Madeline Hale, 27, a sales associate at the Old Takoma Ace Hardware Store, which is involved in the effort.
On Thursday, Aug. 2, the employees of the store publicly announced the formation of a union and their intent to seek recognition as a local branch of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). Six days later store owner Gina Schaefer, who owns 12 Ace Hardware stores across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia sent a memorandum, with the advice of the company’s attorneys, asking the employees to “Vote no” on the unionization efforts.

Candles are ready to be lit in memory of lives lost two years earlier during a fire at the Flower Branch Apartments. PHOTO BY SUZANNE POLLAK SILVER SPRING — It’s been two full years since Kenya Mayorga and her three children heard the loud boom and watched flames engulf a section of the Flower Branch Apartments in Silver Spring, resulting in the death of seven tenants. No one in her family sleeps through the night, and they all still panic whenever they hear a fire truck siren, she said.
“Honestly, I am not” over the gas explosion and fire on Aug. 10, 2016, at the apartments on Piney Branch Road.
“I am not feeling better. I don’t feel safe,” she said, adding she remained there so her children can attend the area schools.
“It’s traumatic,” agreed Anna Martinez, lead organizer at CASA de Maryland. Residents at the apartments “don’t have the certainty it won’t happen again.”
In memory and in honor of those who died, were injured or displaced, a vigil Friday was held at the scene.
“We are here to show our respect and our solidarity,” said Gustavo Torres, CASA president.

Ike Leggett FILE PHOTOLike some of the state’s Democrats, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett has yet to give his endorsement in the gubernatorial race.
Usually in politics, politicians are quick to…

Says she still won’t call herself a candidate for county executive until ratified
Nancy Floreen smiles as she turns in her petition signatures. COURTESY PHOTOGAITHERSBURG — At-large County Council member Nancy…

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State News

Human Trafficking hands grabbing nettingROCKVILLE – Calling Maryland a hotbed for human trafficking, Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced several initiatives to combat the problem plaguing the state.
Hogan signed an executive order Thursday creating the new position of anti-human trafficking director, an appointed position to help combat the problem. In addition, Hogan announced new funding for a variety of programs to help research and develop solutions to human trafficking.
Finally, Hogan said he would support a bill, which legislators will introduce on the first day of the 2019 legislative session in January that will increase time served for some felony human traffickers.
Hogan said three regions in Maryland are hotspots for human trafficking: Baltimore, Prince George’s County and Montgomery County.
“The chilling reality is that Maryland’s central location and access to major highways and airports like I-95 and BWI make our state a hotbed for human trafficking,” Hogan said.

Gov. Larry Hogan (R) at the dedication of ICC in 2017. FILE PHOTOIn progressive Maryland, where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans two to one, Gov. Larry Hogan currently enjoys a 70-percent approval rating.
He’s politically outnumbered in the House of Delegates, where 90 of the 141 delegates are Democrats. But since taking office on Jan. 15, 2015, as Maryland’s 62nd governor, Hogan has achieved, at least in part, many of his campaign promises, including cutting tolls, regulations and taxes.

Ben Jealous, Democrat candidate for governor. FILE PHOTOThere are three key issues that Ben Jealous wants the residents of Maryland to know he stands for: education, healthcare, and building a better economy.
“Our focus is on fully funding education, making sure that we have a healthcare system that works better for everyone, and building a more robust economy,” Jealous said during a phone interview last Friday.
Jealous, who represents the Democratic candidate nomination for governor, says he is very focused on speaking to the people who support him and to the rest of the people, who are getting to know him for the first time.
“Healthcare premiums have skyrocketed on Larry Hogan’s watch,” said Jealous, “we have the worst economic growth in the region, Hogan is the first governor in decades to lose a Fortune 500 company, and our schools have fallen from first to sixth [in the country] on his watch,” said Jealous. “Also, there is a need for a governor who will actually stand up to Donald Trump!” he said.

Columns

“Excellent Smithers. Release the hounds.”Or, if you prefer, “The die is cast.”New or ancient reference, the bottom line is there’s a three-way race now underway for County Council.Marc Elrich, the Democrat is squared off against Republican Robin Ficker - the notorious gadlfy popular for a variety of things, including yelling at professional basketball players and getting a term limit measure leveled on county councilmembers.That move alone has earned Ficker a huge following as county voters, unable to move themselves into a voting booth, can now rely on term limits to automatically kick out the best, the worst and the mediocre councilmembers after three consecutive terms.Ficker hopes to turn his popularity into a trip to the County Executive’s chair and guess what? He has a better chance than most Republicans in this very blue county at getting the results he wants.The reason is twofold. It isn’t just that voters love the idea of automatically kicking out the rascals.One of those rascals, Nancy Floreen (a Democrat) has apparently obtained enough signatures to enter the race as an independent.

I will readily admit that I am not a trained, certified psychiatrist. I haven’t even played one on TV, although I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express not to mention my car insurance is with GEICO.However, when it comes to psychoanalyzing one Donald J. Trump, it’s not that difficult a task. The only question, really, is whether to use the term “psychoanalysis” or “analysis of a psycho.”To quote Mitt Romney, something I never thought I would ever do, “Donald Trump is a fraud, a phony.”That he is, but now for the psychoanalysis.

Despite the best efforts of Congressional Republicans to call for an investigation into the “Hillary Clinton Administration,” the reality is that there is no Hillary Clinton Administration.Hillary Clinton was not elected president on November 8, 2016. Hillary Clinton, to the detriment of America and its ideals, lost the election and Donald J. Trump sits in the Oval Office of the White House. I am made eminently aware of this sad fact every time I attend the daily White House press briefings and, at times, witness Trump attempting to read from the teleprompters at a ridiculously embarrassing third-grade reading level.His reading level, though, is the least important of all of the embarrassments he brings to the presidency. Our descent from the world stage and the loss of status as the leader of the free world along with the loss of respect by our allies is quite a bit higher on the embarrassment list.So how do we fix this catastrophe? How do we learn, or rather re-learn, the lessons of the 2016 presidential election as we approach the 2018 midterm elections and the 2020 presidential election?Let's start with something we learned in the two elections of Barack Obama as president of the...

Sports

Participants use different strategies to maneuver through the mud pit and barbed wire section of the 2018 Warrior Dash obstacle course in Clarksburg. PHOTO BY DAVID WOLFE CLARKSBURG — The Warrior Dash made its Montgomery County debut over the weekend.
Dozens of weekend warriors made the trek to spacious High Point Farm Saturday to participate in one of the nation’s dirtiest events.
Runners from all around the region and points beyond competed in the 5k obstacle course race and festival that attracts more than three million participants worldwide.

Simmie Cobbs, Jr. (15) makes a catch as safety Troy Apke (30) tries to cover at Washington Redskins Training Center on Fan Appreciation Day. PHOTO BY GEORGE SMITH RICHMOND, VA. — Washington Redskins diehards got a chance to watch their beloved Burgundy and Gold during Fan Appreciation Day Saturday at Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center.
Fans lined up one by one outside the facility before practice to get a glimpse of the NFC East title contenders.
“It’s awesome,” said Redskins head coach Jay Gruden. “The fans come out here, we’re very appreciate of our stay here in Richmond. They have been great to us. Bon Secours has been excellent to us, the Omni has been great so, it’s a first-class organization here and we’re happy to be part of it.”
Redskins defensive end Jonathan Allen, who was selected with the 17th overall pick in last year’s NFL Draft, enters his second season with high expectations. He was glad to see the fans in attendance.
“Oh I love it, man,” said Allen. “I love D.C. fans and it’s kind of crazy just ‘cause, like five or six years ago, that was me out there when we had the camp back in Ashburn. So, just being...

Attendees hone their skills during the 2018 MC Jackals High School Field Hockey Prep Camp. PHOTO BY MIKE CLARK 20 years ago, Jenna Ries, a former University of Maryland field hockey player, had an idea for a pre-high school club for the sport she played. Today, that organization is known as Jackals Field Hockey Club.
“When it started 20 years ago, our county did not have a lot of opportunities for traveling high school sports teams,” Ries said. “Now it goes as young as seven or eight years old.”
The Jackals Club, founded by Ries in 2000, is the preeminent field hockey program in Montgomery County. There are girls that will come from different recreation-level teams and try out for Jackals to make the top level training for college. Jackals also train kids at the college level, during their high school training, and when they’re getting set to be college-ready.
“It’s true development to get athletes prepared for college,” Ries said.

BETHESDA — The Bethesda Big Train advanced to the Cal Ripken League championship series Thursday by virtue of their 14-8 victory over the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts at Shirley Povich Field.
Bethesda…

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Features

As part of a celebration of Leonard Bernstein’s 100th birthday, this photo by Henri Cartier-Bresson capturing the late composer-conductor’s energy and vitality will be featured in the National Portrait Gallery. COURTESY PHOTO There may not be a bouncing ball, but the upcoming presentation of the movie “West Side Story” at the AFI Silver will include lyrics to the songs in subtitles on screen. At which point, audience members will be invited to sing along.
The screening is part of a centennial celebration of the birth of Leonard Bernstein – composer, conductor, pianist, author, music lecturer, and teacher – born on August 25, 1918, said Todd Hitchcock, AFI Silver’s director of programming.
“West Side Story” and two other films to which Bernstein contributed the music are the American Film Institute’s contribution to the celebration. One is “On the Waterfront,” a dark drama about a stevedore who confronts the mobster who rules the docks, starring Marlon Brando; the other is the film version of the Broadway musical “On the Town,” about three sailors who find love while on leave in New York.
AFI is one of many arts organizations in the D.C. area presenting concerts, stage shows, and other events to pay tribute to Bernstein, who...

Jackie Hoystead’s ‘MixMatchV3’ at Betty Mae Kramer Gallery in Silver Spring. COURTESY PHOTO No two visits to “Free Space,” an interactive art exhibit at Silver Spring’s Betty Mae Kramer Gallery, are the same.
Each time a visitor walks into the eight-year-old gallery and looks at a piece like “MixMatchV3” by artist Jackie Hoystead, it is unlikely that the 780 acrylic discs velcroed to four different 4-foot-by-40-inch PVC panels will remain unchanged.
The constant transformation is not due to Hoystead being a finicky perfectionist constantly changing her work, but rather to the audience. She invites the viewers to alter the piece according to their own whims, to create their own patterns and designs.
“I think people don’t spend a lot of time looking at artwork anymore,” said Hoystead. “They come into an exhibition, and they think it’s daunting. But by integrating the audience into your work, they spend more time with it. They think about it, and they have a say in the artwork."

Carolivia Herron displays her children’s book “Nappy Hair.” PHOTO BY MATT HOOKE TAKOMA PARK — Washington, D.C. resident Carolivia Herron, clad all in purple, carefully leans into the microphone at Takoma Radio. One moment the 71-year-old Howard University professor praises the 17th-century writer John Milton; at another, she laments the loss two years earlier to gun violence of young local rapper Douglas Brooks, known by his stage name “Swipey.”
Unfortunately, this year is a dubious one for Herron, as it marks the 20th anniversary of her children’s book “Nappy Hair” being banned by New York City Public Schools.
The ban occurred in 1998, after a white teacher taught the book to her third-grade class. Although the students enjoyed the book, protests broke out, as some considered the book racially insensitive. According to Herron, the majority of parents who complained about the book did not have children in the class.
“They felt a white teacher had no business teaching about black hair,” said Herron. “Because the word nappy had been used as an insult in their families, but it was never used that way in mine.”
The book itself is an uplifting story, telling African American girls to take pride in their natural hair. Nappy Hair...

O’Malley’s March to perform at BlackRock Family Fun Festival in Germantown this Saturday. COURTESY PHOTO Before Martin O’Malley was mayor of Baltimore and governor of Maryland, he played music professionally.
He still…

North Potomac native Lillian Li, author of "Number One Chinese Restaurant." COURTESY PHOTOS Listed as one of the best books of the summer by Time Magazine, O Magazine, Buzzfeed, Star Tribune, and Toronto Star…

The title character (Robin Steitz) and the fake poet (Rick DuPuy) who courts her in Victorian Lyric Opera Company’s “Patience.” COURTESY PHOTO Gilbert and Sullivan originally intended their operetta “Patience” to…

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan throws ceremonial dirt at the groundbreaking in Bethesda. PHOTO BY SUZANNE POLLAK BETHESDA — Nine months after construction began in Bethesda for a Purple Line Metro station...

Says she still won’t call herself a candidate for county executive until ratified
Nancy Floreen smiles as she turns in her petition signatures. COURTESY PHOTOGAITHERSBURG — At-large County Council member Nancy…

Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. COURTESY PHOTOPope Francis on Saturday accepted a cardinal’s letter of resignation from the College of Cardinals following a child sexual-abuse allegation.
It is unclear at press time as…

Montgomery County police officer won’t be prosecuted for shooting unarmed man
YouTube screen capture of body-camera video released by Montgomery County Police of an officer providing backup to Officer Anand Badgujar…